Carr defends safety record of NSW railways

NSW Premier Bob Carr has reassured rail passengers they are travelling on one of the world's safest systems after Friday's fatal train derailment at Waterfall, south of Sydney.

"You are infinitely safer travelling by train than in a private motor vehicle," he said yesterday.

He said Sydney's system was comparable with that of any big city.

Transport Minister Carl Scully agreed, but said that with about one million passengers on Sydney's trains each day, it was impossible to expect the system to be incident-free.

"But what we can guarantee is when incidents like these do occur, we do get to the bottom of it," he said.");document.write("

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"We find out why it was caused, what contributed to it and we do that in a judicial way and we make sure that recommendations are implemented fully."

Eight people died, including the train driver, and dozens were injured when the 6.24am Tangara train from Sydney's Central Station, heading south to Port Kembla, derailed four kilometres south of Waterfall.

Mr Scully said that while the judicial inquiry, headed by retired judge Peter McInerney, would examine all evidence, so far nothing had been uncovered to point to a possible cause.

He revealed that, in addition to the track being inspected twice the day before the accident, the train's wheels had also been checked recently to ensure they came in proper contact with the rail.

"I can tell you the wheels on this train had been relathed as early as October last year and were the subject of routine inspection about two weeks ago," Mr Scully said.

"Nothing in relation to the wheels or the train immediately suggested what may have caused or contributed to the accident."

Justice McInerney was also in charge of the investigation into the Glenbrook disaster in December 1999, where a suburban passenger train ploughed into the rear of the Indian Pacific. The government said he would have all the powers of a royal commissioner and report by May 31.

Mrs Zeides, from Wollongong, said her husband's "happiest days were spent at home surrounded by his family and friends". "Our lives will be forever poorer without him. To all who knew him, he was known as the 'gentle giant'."

Mrs Zeides also sent her condolences to the families and friends of the other victims and people involved.

Eighteen people remain in various Sydney hospitals, two in a critical condition, and 23 were discharged at the weekend.

Another victim, James Ritchie, 50, of Sydney, who was travelling to Wollongong, has been formally identified.